A San Francisco resident has filed a lawsuit against the City and County of San Francisco, alleging negligence after suffering injuries from tripping on an uneven sidewalk. Vanessa Jackson lodged the complaint in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, on March 18, 2025, naming the City and County of San Francisco as defendants alongside other private entities.
The case revolves around an incident that occurred on September 4, 2024, when Vanessa Jackson tripped over an elevated portion of the sidewalk located in front of 1640 Valencia Street in San Francisco. According to the complaint, this fall resulted in severe physical injuries and emotional distress for Jackson. The lawsuit asserts that the City and County of San Francisco failed to maintain safe conditions on public property as required by law. The complaint specifically cites violations under Government Code Sections 835 and 835.2, which pertain to dangerous conditions on public property. "The City and County of San Francisco knew or should have known about the dangerous condition," states the complaint, further accusing them of failing to protect against harm from this hazard.
In addition to suing the city, Jackson is also pursuing legal action against Barak D. & Taly L. Jolish Living Trust and Lorraine O’Connor DDS—private entities that allegedly owned or controlled adjacent properties at the site of her accident. These defendants are accused under premises liability laws for not addressing or warning about the hazardous condition despite being aware or reasonably expected to be aware of it. "Defendants failed in their duty to maintain safe premises," reads another section of Jackson's complaint.
Jackson is seeking various forms of relief through this lawsuit. She demands general damages for her pain and suffering, compensation for medical expenses incurred due to her injuries, loss of earnings both past and future due to her reduced earning capacity following the accident, as well as interest according to law and costs associated with bringing this suit forward.
Representing Vanessa Jackson is attorney Ashwin V. Ladva from Ladva Law Firm based in San Francisco. The case has been assigned Case No.: CGC-25-623415 in front of a judge yet unnamed.